3 Ways to Lead Well When a Ministry Closes
Church leaders must evaluate ministries to ensure they align with current and future community needs. Sometimes, this means closing a beloved ministry, which can be…
Browsing: Planning and Visioning
Articles
Struggling with What to Write in the Church Newsletter?
Struggling with what to write for the church newsletter? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center shares ways to write meaningful and relevant material for your…
Exploring the Future of the Church Together: An In-depth Interview with Dustin Benac
How can the church adapt to future challenges and foster community through innovative leadership? Doug Powe and Dustin Benac discuss the future of the church,…
“Exploring the Future of the Church Together” featuring Dustin Benac
Podcast Episode 159 How can the church adapt to future challenges and foster community through innovative leadership? In this episode Doug Powe and Dustin Benac…
Leaders Help Their Communities Dream Big Dreams
Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech proposed a big dream for what America can become. What big dreams do you have for…
Improve Your Time Management and Enhance Your Ministry: An In-Depth Interview with Nicole Reilley
How can church leaders improve their time management and maximize ministry? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff interviews Nicole Reilley about time management, saying…
“Improve Your Time Management and Enhance Your Ministry” featuring Nicole Reilley
Podcast Episode 131 How can church leaders improve their time management and maximize ministry? In this episode we speak with Nicole Reilley about time management,…
Sustaining While Disrupting
Free Webinar — Register Now Learn new ways to address the challenge of congregational innovation. Tuesday, March 7, Noon-1 p.m. Eastern Many churches today find…
Sustaining While Disrupting: An In-Depth Interview with Doug Powe and Lovett Weems
How can you bring about meaningful change in your church? F. Douglas Powe Jr. and Lovett H. Weems Jr. maintain that genuine change also involves…
“Sustaining While Disrupting” featuring Doug Powe and Lovett Weems
Podcast Episode 112 What is required to bring about meaningful change in your church? F. Douglas Powe Jr. and Lovett H. Weems Jr. maintain that…
The Messy Art of Leading Change: An In-Depth Interview with Mike Bonem
How can you lead effectively given the inherent messiness of congregational life? Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff interviews leadership expert Mike Bonem on…
“The Messy Art of Leading Change” featuring Mike Bonem
Podcast Episode 110 How can you lead effectively given the inherent messiness of congregational life? Leadership expert Mike Bonem speaks about the art of leading…
Moving Beyond a Congregational Identity Crisis
Asking “Who are we?” helps congregations gain clarity in the midst of an identity crisis. Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe Jr. offers three priorities…
Saying “Yes” to Clear Purpose Can Require Saying “No” to Long-Cherished Ministries
Jaye Johnson says a congregation that is clear about who it is must say “no” to ministries that are inconsistent with that purpose. While this…
Doing Planning Differently
What if you focused on making already-planned ministry events better rather than creating new events? Olu Brown offers three planning strategies for Doing Church Differently™…
4 Critical Steps in Deploying Your Vision
Discerning a new vision is only the first step toward congregational renewal and change. Olu Brown outlines four critical steps necessary to make that new…
Should Your Church Consider Selling Property?
Real estate expert Domenic Dutra outlines factors to be considered in determining whether selling church property might be a faithful course of action. The ideal…
Centering Marginalized Voices to Lead Change
What practices can help church leaders learn from failures and address conflict in ways that lead to fruitful ministry? The Lewis Center’s Jessica Anschutz interviews…
“Centering Marginalized Voices to Lead Change” featuring Tyler Sit
What practices can help church leaders learn from failures and address conflict in ways that lead to fruitful ministry? We speak with Tyler Sit about centering marginalized voices, meeting the needs of the community, managing conflict, and other leadership lessons he has learned as a church planter.
Daring to Think Forward in a Time of Accelerating Change
How can churches get ahead of the curve by learning to anticipate change rather than always responding to change after the fact? Ann Michel interviews…
Episode 86: “Daring to Think Forward in a Time of Accelerating Change” featuring Dwight Friesen
How can churches get ahead of the curve by learning to anticipate change rather than always responding to change after the fact? Dwight Friesen shares ways to cultivate the imagination and skill set needed to think forward.
When Is the Right Time for Strategic Planning?
Susan Beaumont says strategic plans are meant to guide stable organizations through long periods of adaptation. In seasons of disruption and disorientation, other leadership approaches…
Leading When You Don’t Know the Way
Consultant Susan Beaumont says church leaders need a different set of skills in ambiguous, disorienting periods of transition. In such seasons of change leaders must…
5 Steps for Putting Good Ideas into Action
Missouri Pastor Jim Hoffman discusses how a five-step process for evaluating and testing possible new initiatives can help churches develop and implement ideas in a…
5 Ways to Know if Your Church Needs A Strategic Plan
Chris Bennett, a Virginia pastor who helps other congregations develop strategic plans, outlines a set of questions that can help your church decide if a…
5 Steps to Church Vitality and Turnaround
Baltimore Pastor C. Anthony Hunt outlines a five-part process helpful to churches or non-profits looking to renew their vitality. He shares how this process helped…
Is Your Vision a Mural or a To-Do List?
Tiffany Deluccia says that for too many churches, their de facto vision is nothing more than a list of the next things to be done.…
Two Views of Vision
What kind of vision helps a church finds its way forward? Lovett H. Weems, Jr., says a vision needn’t be grandiose, nor is the process…
The Power of Core Values
Anthony Hunt, pastor of Epworth Chapel in Baltimore, describes how discerning and naming core values can help a church stay focused and on track. Clear…
Four Questions for Congregations
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., says vital congregations are clear about their mission, outwardly focused, oriented toward the future, and concerned more with results than processes.…
